1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic head employed in a magnetic disk drive such as a hard disk drive (HDD). In particularly, the invention relates to a quasi contact head comprising a slider with a flying surface opposed to a magnetic disk, and a composite layer formed on the slider at its trailing end so as to contain a head element, wherein an edge of the slider or composite layer first approaching the magnetic disk is subjected to grinding by an initial abrasion with the magnetic disk.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The ongoing demand to improve the recording density of information recorded on a magnetic disk makes it necessary drive to reduce the magnetic space between a reading/writing gap of a magnetic head element and a magnetic disk. Reduction in the magnetic space must be achieved without causing actual contact between the slider and the magnetic disk in a conventional flying magnetic head generally used. Probability of physical contact between the slider and the magnetic disk is accordingly minimized, possibly to zero, by taking account of any factors varying the flying height of the slider over the surface of the magnetic disk. However, reduction in such probability tends to cause an increase in the flying height of the slider.
On the other hand, a quasi contact head is supposed to reduce the magnetic space between a reading/writing gap and a magnetic disk as compared with the above-mentioned conventional flying magnetic head, since the flying height of the slider can be determined on the assumption that the slider contacts the magnetic disk.
When a quasi contact head employs a magnetoresistance (MR) element, the gap of the MR element is in some cases supposed to collide with a tiny protrusion caused by surface roughness of the magnetic disk. The contact may cause a momentary temperature rise in the gap, namely, a thermal asperity, to thereby bring about a large change in the magnitude of magnetoresistance detected by the MR element. As a result, it is very difficult to allow the MR element to achieve a precise reading operation in the quasi contact head.